The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus capable of reading both sheet-shaped document and a book-shaped document and transmitting/receiving read signals of the read document.
A facsimile apparatus for transmitting image data of documents or drawings through a public line has been constituted as shown in FIG. 1 and another structure has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-83460.
The former structure is a thermosensible paper type of facsimile apparatus comprising a document paper discharge tray 6' on an apparatus body 1, the apparatus further including a document paper supply tray 7' and a recording paper discharge tray 3' disposed to project from two sides of the apparatus body 1' in the opposite directions to each other. When a document to be transmitted is set on the document paper supply tray 7', the document is introduced into the apparatus body 1' to be allowed to pass through an image reading means (not shown) disposed in the apparatus body 1' so that information of the document is read as image data, the read document being then discharged onto the document paper discharge tray 6'. When the facsimile apparatus receives information, the received information is recorded on a cut sheet placed in the apparatus body 1', and the cut sheet is discharged onto the recording paper discharge tray 3'.
The latter apparatus has a document reading surface on which a document to be transmitted is placed and a line sensor which moves along the document reading surface. The apparatus further comprises an image reading means for reading the document placed on the document reading surface and a document cover which is opened/closed around a pivot axis at a side thereof to uncover/cover the document reading surface. When the line sensor of the image reading means moves along the document reading surface, the image of a book-shaped (thick) document can be directly transmitted. Further, this apparatus comprises a recording paper cassette composed of a cassette body for holding cut sheets and a cassette cover, the cassette cover being arranged to also serve as a paper discharge tray. Therefore, the outward projection of the paper discharge tray from the apparatus body is prevented.
However, following points are not considered in the foregoing conventional apparatuses.
That is, the structure of the former apparatus comprising the document paper supply tray 7' and the recording paper discharge tray 3,' which project outwards from the apparatus body, causes the overall size of the apparatus to be enlarged excessively. Therefore, there arises a problem in that a wide area is required to install the apparatus. The latter apparatus arranged in such a manner that the document cover is opened/closed around the pivot axis at its one side and the cassette cover of the recording paper cassette also serves as the paper discharge tray can overcome the problem of the outward projection of the paper discharge tray. However, the arrangement of the paper discharge tray on the right side of the apparatus body arises a necessity that the change of the cut sheets is performed from the right side of the apparatus body. Further, paper jamming having occurred during the paper conveyance must be treated by removing the jammed paper from the left side of the apparatus. Therefore, there arises a problem in that some of operations required to use the apparatus, such as supply and change of consumables and recovery of paper jamming, cannot be performed from the front side of the apparatus body.